Improvement in corn-planters



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W. D. EWART.

Corn-Planters. No. 196,291. Patented'Oct. 23,1877.

fliibgmjlmari' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. W. D. EWART. Corn-Planters.

No. 19 ,291. Patented Oct. 23, 1877.

NFETERS, PNDTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGYON. D C.

set forth in the following specification, referwords, to prevent theacceleration in the momarkers outside of the shoes at a distance ATENTQFFIGE.

WILLIAM D. EWART, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN CORN-PLANLI'ERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 196,291, dated October23, 1877; application filed December To all whom it may concern Be itknown that I, WILLIAM D. EWART, of Chicago, in the coimty of Cook andState of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement inCorn-Planters, which is fully ence being had to the accom iianyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a plan view of a cornplanterwith my improvements attached; Fig. 2, an edge view of the driving-gearand device for changing from one to the other; Fig. 3, a side view ofthe sprocket-wheel between the driving-wheels; Figs. at and 5, detailviews of the vibrating dog or clutch and changing device; Figs. 6, 7 8,and 9, detail views of modifications of the same. Fig. 10 is an endelevation of the marker and indicator; Fig. 11, a front elevation of thesame; Fig. 12, a crosssection taken on the line w m, Fig. 1, with theseat removed; and Fig. 13, a cross-section of the groundfwheels andaxles.

The object of my invention is to obtain a corn-planter in which themechanism driving the feeding-slide shall always be driven by theground-wheel moving the slowest, or, in other tion of the seedingmechanism when one of the ground-wheels passes over an obstacle, whichwould destroy there gularity of the hills.

The invention consists in mounting the groundwheels upon independentaxles, each carrying a toothed wheel, between which is mounted anindependent sprocket -wheel provided with a loose clutch or shifter,which is always forced to engage with the mores lowly moving wheel.

It also consists in the combination of this sprocket wheel with an idlesprocket chain mounted on a swinging arm, upon which it may be adjustedfor transmitting motion to the slide-cam.-

It also consists in a rotary cam for reciprocating the feeding-slideprovided with wings, with which a stop or stops on the sprocketchainengages, to rotate the cam at proper intervals.

It also consists in the arrangement. of the equal to one-half thedistance between the rows.

It also consists in vibrating indicators connected to the slide, so asto make a crossmark opposite each hill; and it further consists invarious combinations of devices, all of which will be hereinafter fullyset forth.

In the drawings, A represents one of the ground or supportingwheels,which is mounted rigidly upon a shaft, (1, extending entirely across themachine, and B the other groundwheel, which is attached to asleeve-axle, I), mounted on the axle a, so that each wheel isindependent of the other. Each one of the axles a b carries'adriving-wheel,-G, rigidly secured thereto, and arranged a short distanceapart, between the wheels A and B.

- The wheel 0, attached to the sleeve axle b, is mounted on the extremeinner end of the latter, and both wheels 0 are provided with teeth 0.Between the two wheels 0 is a disk, D, which is moimted loosely on theshaft 0, and is provided with teeth or sprockets d. The disk D is alsoconstructed with a slot, 61', near its outer edge, on one side, inwhichis mounted, on pivotal bearings, a small clutch or shifter, E. Thisdevice is loose in the slot (1, so that it is free to vibrate back andforth therein. On each side of the clutch is a projection, e, the twobeing set at an obtuse angle to each other, as shown in Fig. 4 of thedrawings.

The teeth 0 on the wheels 0 are made about like the teeth of a bevelgearwheel, and in this case the vibrating dog or clutch E is shaped like abeveled pinion, the teeth 0 corresponding to two of the teeth thereof.

The wheels 0, sprocket disk D, and dog E are constructed and arranged sothat when both wheels move forward together-that is, at the same rate ofspeed-the teeth 0 will just engage with the teeth 0 on the wheels 0, on

each side of the disk, and thus the latter will be carried around withthe wheels. If, however, the motion of one of the ground-wheels isaccelerated, thereby increasing the speed of the corresponding wheel O,the teeth 0 on said wheel will be carried by the tooth c on that side ofthe disk, the clutch E vibrating sufficiently to permit this, thedepressions between the teeth 0 being sufficiently deep to allow thetooth c on the other side of the disk to pass farther in as the dog isvibrated, as described.

It is evident that this operation releases the axles of theground-wheels, and on a bar, 7

. and the 'disk'D, while it continues between the latter and theotherwheel 'O, which is'rev'olving with a uniform motion.

This wheelis always the one corresponding to the ground whcel which ismoving along rover levelland, and, therefore, by the operation of thesedevices, as described .above,not' only is a uniform motion given to'thedisk D, but such motion always corresponds to the motion of a'groundwheel passingalong over a continuous level, so that the irregularitiesin the revolution of the grouml-wheels pro 7 V duced by the passingofeither over an obsta cle or'uneven groundwill not aifectthe regu larityand uniformity of the rotation: of the disk D. a

A carryingirame, F, is mounted upon the just in front of said wheels,two upright standards, G. A pivot-bolt, 9, passes through the upper endsof these standards, on which is placed loosely an arm, H, which. carriesupon its plate.

V 7 At the inner end of the. arm H a similar sprocket-wheel, H ismounted loosely on the pin g, and by V the side of this wheel a diskcam,I, is also mounted loosely on thesame bearing. On the-face of the cam,next to the wheel H, are wings or flanges i.

A sprocket-chain, J, is placed around the sprocketwheels h H, and thearm H is so arranged that when swung backward the chain J will fall uponthe sprocket-wheel or disk D, as shown in Fig. 12 of the drawings.

The arm H is made long enough to extend somewhat in rear of the wheel D,so as to afford an opportunity for the adjustment of the length of thechain and the position of the wheel h.

I prefer to construct the chain J with detachable links, like thoseheretofore patented by me, so that one ormoremay be removed or replacedat any time for the purpose of adjusting the length of the chain, whichmay be readily done by raising the arm H, as shown in dotted lines inFig. 12 of the drawings, thereby disengaging the chain from thesprocket-wheel D. On one or more links of this chain is a projection, j,so arranged that as the chain is driven by the sprocket-wheel D theprojection will strike against one of the wings i on the cam I, and givethe latter a half-rotation, this operation being repeated each time theprojection is brought round into contact with one of the wings on thecam.

On the cross-barfthe distributing-slide K is supported, which is ofordinary construe tion, and is provided with a forked guide, is, whichembraces the edge of the cam I, so that the rotation of the latter willcause the slide engagementbetween the accelerated wheel O V toreciprocate back and forth, Leach half-revolution .therfeofthrowingtheslidebar: to its farthest extent in one direction. V

. S66d b0X6S L are also moimtedupon'the frame, their distancefrom eachother being the same as that desired between the rows of- -corn. The'seedbar operates in connection with these 7 boxes in the i usualmanner, drop-' ping two hills of corn with each reciprocation .of thebar, and below the seed-boxes are located the usual shoes '2, Justinfront of the ground-wheels.

'Markers M are pivoted tothe ends of a front cross-ban), as shown inFig. '10 of the drawings, and are braced by rods m, hinged at theirforward ends to the barf, and rigidly attached to the markers at theirrear'ends, so that the latter are free torisc and fall, to conform tothe surface of the ground 7 over which they pass.

' Small tapering bars 'N are pivoted to the rear ends of the markers Mor braces. m, so as to vibrate across the path of said markers, and'th'eyare connected to the slide-bar K by linkrods nattached to theirupper ends; It ifseyi dent, therefore, that with each reciprocation ofthe ieeding-slide K these bars N will be vimated right'angles tothepathi'of the mark 1 ers M. The markers are arranged so that the bars Nwill be in line with the heels of the shoes '8, and, as theyare'vibrated only when the feeding-slide is 'reciprocated to drop the jcorn for th'e'hills, it is evident that they will 7 simultaneously makea short transverse mark directly opposite each hill of corn, and thusindicate the line on which the hills of the next rows should be dropped.7

The markers M are arranged outside of the shoes Z, at a distancetherefrom of only half the distance between the rows, instead of thefull distance, as is usual in corn-planters, and as the machine is drawnback and forth across the field the insidemarker always follows the linemade by the outside marker in the preceding bout.

The rods a, connecting the indicators N to the feeding-slide K, are madeof such length that the indicators are never vibrated outside of themarkers, but are moved only from a perpendicular position inwardly, andback again, the two positions being shown in Fig. 11 of the drawings.

From this construction and arrangement it is evident that in each boutof the machine, if the mechanism is operated properly, the inside markerwill strike a short line conforming to the transverse lines made by theindicator in the previous course, but on the opposite side of the linemade by the marker M. The driver is thus enabled to easily determinewhether the hills in the new rows are being dropped regularly in linewith the preceding rows.

If the marks made by the indicators do not register with thosepreviously made the driver can adjust the mechanism until this result isobtained, by simply raising the arm H until the chain J is disengagedfrom the sprocketwheel D, and then moving the chain backward or forwardby hand, according as 'it is necessary to bring the projection j nearerto or farther from the cam I.

For convenience of adjustment I prefer to make the links of the chain Jprecisely one inch in length, so that the distance between the hills ina row may be easily regulated by adding links to or taking them from thechain; and, if desired, more than one lug or projection may be employedto increase the reciprocation of the feeding-slide K. The length of thelinks being known will also enable the driver to correct irregularitiesin the dropping more easily, for, as he sees about the amountv ofvariation made by the indicators, he can determine how many links thechain should be moved backward or forward to correct it.

I have described one special construction of my vibrating clutch orshifter. In Figs. 6, 7, S, and 9 of the drawings I h. ve shown somemodified forms of the latter, which -I regard as equivalents. In Fig. 6the shifter is a simple slide, 0, with beveled ends fitted loosely in adovetail-groove, 0, in the wheel D, as shown in 7 of the drawings. InFig. 8 the shifter P is pivoted to the wheel D and arranged to extendoutside of the wheels 0, which it embraces, and which are constructedwith serrations cupon their outer faces instead of the inner ones, asshown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

This construction may also be modified by putting the serrations uponthe edges of the wheels, and arranging the shifter to vibratevertically.

The'shifter E may be modified slightly in construction, as shown in Fig.9 of the drawings, in which there are simply two teeth, set at an angleto each other, and an enlargement to enable the shifter E to be pivotedto the wheel.

Instead of the cam I, the ordinary levers may be employed forreciprocating the feed-' ing-slide, being arranged so as to be struck bythe projection on the chain J.

I have described and shown vibrating indicators only; but it is evidentthat these indicators N may be constructed differently, it beingnecessary only that they shall make indicating-marks with eachreciprocation of the feeding-slide.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1.. The two independent wheels or disks 0,

having teeth or serrations o, in combination with an intermediate loosedriving-wheel, D, and an automatic vibrating clutch or shifter, E,mounted on the wheel D, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The independent groimd-wheels A and B, in combination with thetoothed wheels or disks 0, intermediate wheel D, and automatic vibratingclutch or shifter E, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. V

3. A sprocket-wheel, D, in combination with a sprocket-chain, J composedwholly or in part of independent detachablelinks, and'a device attachedto one or more of the links for operatin g the feeding slide, wherebythe length of the chain may be readily changed and the distance betweenthe hills regulated by such adjustment of the chain, substantially asdescribed. I

4. The sprocket-wheel D, in combination with the adjustable idle-chainJ, provided with lugs or projections j, cam I, having wings i, and thefeeding-slide K, substantially as described.

5. The pivoted arm H, in combination with the chain J, adjustable inlength, and idle sprocket-wheels h II, one of which is adjustable backand forth on the arm H, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a corn-planter, the shoes or runners l, in combination with astationary bar, f, and markers M, hinged thereto and arranged on eachside of the machine at a distance outside the shoes equal to half thedistance between the rows, whereby the inner marker on each bout willrun in the track of the outer marker on the preceding bout,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The feeding-slide K, in combination with the pivoted indicators N,linked thereto by rods 'n and markers M, substantially as described.

8. In a corn-planter, a continuous marker, M, arranged to run alongoutside of the machine to mark out the return-path, in combination withan indicator operating at suitable intervals to designate the properlocation of the hills for the return-bout, substantially as described.

WILLIAM 1). EWAR'I.

Witnesses L. M. HARRIS, L. A. BUNTING.

